Buy a car in Germany: everything you need to know

It is the largest car market in Europe because it is almost limitless supply. Have you ever you thought buying a used car in Germany? We have traveled there to tell you that you should do if you want to buy a car mecca used.

As with car auctions, buy car in Germany It is one of those issues come often in conversations almost always because someone knows someone who has gone very well. However, when one is serious about done with a second-hand car in Germany, so many doubts that eventually pull back more than one arise. Do not worry, we'll have everything you need to know:

Why Germany is the ideal place to buy a used car market?

There are several reasons why buying cars in GermanyInterestingly, the most obvious is volume: 65% the size of Spain, has almost twice the population (80 million), with little unemployment and much higher overall wages here.

Further, the big luxury brands likeMercedes, Audiand BMW, are headquartered there. Thus, in the southern states, especially Bavaria, where BMW is headquartered higher concentrations per car of this brand than anywhere else on the planet. The manufacturer offers employees discounts of 30% and, as ITV begins to move after three years, this is about the frequency with which the Bavarians renew their car.

How to buy a car in Germany, step by step

If your budget is not very bulky, the most economical is that you who travel to Germany and I'll bring the car driving.

AUTOBILD.ES we have done in the process to tell you step by step, as you can see below. 'We' for it with a budget of 20,000 euros.

Internet search.

Travel to Germany.

Locate the vehicle.

Purchase and sale of the vehicle.

Documentation required.

Register the car in Spain.

1. Search the Internet

To buy a used car in Germanyis quite necessary criteria related Internet search, and among them is money.

It is also essential that you are clear about what kind of vehicle you need.

Among the different reference sites, you must log in paragraph Gebrauchtwagenbörse (Market used) and, once there, you're typing in the search all the criteria that apply to you, make, model, engine type (diesel or gasoline), price (between maximum and minimum) and maximum mileage.

not forget also indicate 'Land'(State where you're looking) and pLZ o 'Postleitzahl'(Zip code), which restricts some results, but you should: not want to be looking for a car in Hamburg and end up having to go down to Munich because that's where you found it.

You can see all zip codes in Germany. If you this information did not seem like enough, here you can check how to find a car in Germany online.

2. Traveling to Germany

He car trip to buy in Germany It has its pros and cons.

First, you know that one way airline tickets to go more expensive. If you want to avoid you drive back the beating of Munich and Madrid among 2,100 km- there, there transport companies you bring it in a truck for about 500 euros. If you choose the latter option, it is recommended that you hire a good insurance (about 100 euros), because otherwise you can take a disgust when, at five or six weeks-what it will take to traerlo- reaches your hands.

Thanks to budget airlines, options for flying to Germany to buy a vehicle They are almost limitless, although in many cases undergo stopover in Palma de Mallorca (we did well to cut costs).

Before leaving, I recommend that you plan a little way back, if you are going to do in your brand new German car. Will come in handy to load any of the apps for travel we recommend in this article.

3. Locate the vehicle

Once there, searching for cars in Germany begins. You can move seamlessly into public transport.

Car shops, as in Spain, are on the outskirts of cities and, without a vehicle to move, this is already a major obstacle. In addition, the official centers -visitamos great one BMW with up to 1,200 units stock- and large multi-brand dealers, we were told It could take several days to deliver the vehicle. If you want to make for sightseeing, fine, but if not ...

So if you're in a hurry, avoid the dealers. In fact, my advice is that you have located the unit that interests you and, just in case, a plan B and a plan C in the same area, especially if you've found several bargains offered by private individuals.

If you resort to buying and selling, they must give you a mechanical one-year warranty and you have another advantage: by law, must inform you if the car has not suffered or accidents. In fact, on posters that vehicles look at this information usually appears Campas'unfallfrei( 'Unfallfrei' means' free accident 'and, if it takes a'nicht'Front, the opposite).

In the end, we found a car: a BMW 320d Touring four-year old and 73,811 km which cost 16,500 euros, non-negotiable. This model used is among the most sought after in Europe.

4. Buying and selling vehicle

Before departure, you must inform the bank of what is the best way to pay when buying a car in Germany.

You can always bring cash, since in 500 notes almost any amount bulges very little, but if you have qualms, the safest means of payment is a Swift transfer, but you should be informed if your bank is attached to this system and all the process takes between 24 and 72 hours.

It is recommended that you take the ID card instead of a passport, because in that document contains no address. Another thing you should know is that all contract buying and selling a car in Germany It reflected the VAT, so you will not have to pay in Spain.

Also by law, when a delivery buying and selling a vehicle must pass before a brief technical inspection of an independent entity. After the mechanics had set the BMW, they told an expert from a company ITV to happen to make the general inspection of twelve essential points and other exhaust gas, which in this case is done at the dealership itself.

If you buy a particular car in Germany, you will be responsible for carrying out this operation in an authorized center (Dekra, ADAC, TÜV, etc.) for about 100 euros, with the disadvantage that in these centers no interpreters to translate from German into English or Spanish.

Other procedures purchase of a car in Germany They are made in the traffic office (Verkehrsamt) Of the operation site.

See where you are and your schedule because there may be big differences: in Munich, for example, only opened between 9.00 h and 12.00 h. Luckily, we had located the BMW in a town called Starnberg and 'Verkehrsamt' -there everything is descentralizado- had a magnificent open from 7 am to 19 pm.

In any case, while buying and selling or individual awaiting confirmation from your bank that the transfer has been made, it is normal you have available at least 24 hours for this management. Below, you can review all the documentation you need completing

5. Documentation required

In the sale, the Agency expenses go including at price vehicle.

If you buy an individual, you can hire the services of an agency or do all the paperwork yourself. In the gallery you the roles they have to wear to the office registration (Zulassungsstelle), In addition to the passport:

Certificate of having passed the overhaul: 100 euros

Abgasuntersuchung (Certificate of having passed the revision of gases): 30 euros.

Registration is done in 5 minutes. Shops are close to public offices. To leave Germany with the car, you have to take some temporary plates, which cost about 100 euros, including procedures. The term of the same (associated with term insurance) comes on the sides.

Contract and technical data: If you go to a German purchase, chances are that you get a Certificate of conformity European format. In this document they come specified all technical characteristics vehicle. In case you do not offer it, I ask Him, because otherwise you'll have to make one in Spain. Do you have two optionsHe who made the ITV station, which costs about 90 euros, or one official issued by the manufacturer can go even more expensive. In addition, you will slow down quite all the paperwork.

6. register the car in Spain

After a day and peak driving, we arrived in Madrid over the weekend. For give the papers to a German car in Spain there was no undue haste, since our disposal to bring circulating a license plate and insurance provisional pan-European, which were valid for one month.

Once in Spain, to register a foreign car must pass the ITV with the following documents:

ITV card (with copies)

The original invoice for the car and a translation into Spanish (in traffic not specific, but it has been recommended by a court interpreter).

Proof of having paid the tax on motor vehicles (the amount is set by each municipality) • Settlement of tax on certain means of transport (made through internet).

The registration application form obtained in Traffic can download'm here-. Another option is to do it through an agency where, for about 300 euros, you save this bureaucracy.

How much it costs to buy a car in Germany (eg purchase of a BMW 320d Touring)